Starker's Bacon and Cheese-Curd Burger

Chef/owner John McClure of Starker's Restaurant, located at Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri, fills his behemoth burger (left) with sugared bacon and melting cheese curds from Shatto Milk Company.

Another chef-inspired main dish: Pan-Seared Trout with Tomatoes, Potatoes and Bacon. Chicago Chef Susan Goss thick-slices slab bacon for her trout recipe at West Town Tavern.

Bacon, Ham and Egg Hash

The Niman Ranch group turns to Iowa for much of its pork. Paul Willis runs the Niman Ranch Pork Company out of Thornton, Iowa. This recipe, which calls for Niman Ranch Dry-Cured Applewood Smoked Ham or other cooked ham, comes from pork producers Monica and Randy Duffe of Wilton.

The Willis family, meanwhile, contributed a recipe for a classic pairing of collard greens and bacon.

Willis Family Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

Peel and devein 1 pound of large fresh shrimp in shells (about 16), leaving tails intact. Rinse; pat dry. Using 8 slices of Niman Ranch Bacon or other bacon (halved crosswise), wrap each shrimp in a piece of bacon, securing with a wood toothpick (neck to tail in a half-moon). To grill, place shrimp on lightly greased rack of uncovered grill over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until bacon is crisp and shrimp turn opaque, turning once. (For gas grill, cover and grill as directed.) If you like, serve with your favorite barbecue sauce. Makes 16.

Bacon-Wrapped Bison Ribeyes

This bison specialty is a popular choice at Fire Lake Grill House and Cocktail Bar in downtown Minneapolis. Bison meat is redder than its beef counterpart, with a flavor similar to lean beef. You can use beef tenderloin if you prefer.

Sunny Broccoli Salad

A Cleveland reader makes this salad a day ahead and refrigerates the dressing and vegetables separately. When it's time to serve it, she tosses everything together. Bacon, sunflower kernels and raisins make a crunchy and flavorful side dish.

Baked Beans 'n' Bacon

Bacon and brown sugar punch up the salty-sweet flavors in this canned pork and beans fix-up from South Dakota's Triangle Ranch Bed and Breakfast. For a candied top, leave Baked Beans 'n' Bacon uncovered in the oven.

Cooking bacon

Follow package directions for stove-top cooking, starting with an unheated pan over medium heat or:In the oven: Place slices side by side on a rack in a shallow-sided baking pan. Bake in 400° oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until crisp. Drippings fall below the rack in this no-watch method.In microwave: Cut down on splattering by placing slices on a microwave-safe rack or a plate lined with microwave-safe paper towels. Microwave on high (2-3 minutes for 2 slices, 3-4 1/2 minutes for 4, and 4-5 minutes for 6 slices), rearranging bacon once.

Bacon 101

Most bacon results from a mix of brining, wet- or dry-curing and some form of smoking. Different twists on this process alter the taste. Pancetta This Italian bacon (left), used to flavor sauces and pasta dishes, is cured but not smoked.Dry-cured bacon Because it contains less water, this type shrinks less during cooking and produces less popping grease in the skillet. Flavored bacon Maple syrup, brown sugar, honey, pepper and more complement bacon's saltiness. Smoking with woods such as apple or hickory creates subtle distinctions, too. But take note of labels promising things such as "hickory flavor." This isn't true smoked bacon. Canadian bacon A smoked meat more like ham than American bacon, it also produces less cooking shrinkage, resulting in more servings per pound.

(A version of this story appeared in Midwest Living® January/February 2009.)